After endlessly criticizing the Iraq War, Pelosi and Murtha have finally made a trip to Iraq. This is merely for show. Don’t think that this is about gathering information. It’s about them getting a photo-op, then adding the words “I just returned from Iraq” to their endless criticism of the President Bush’s policies.

The AP has quoted Ms. Pelosi in this article:

“We come out of the meeting with a greater understanding of the others’ point of view,” Pelosi, (D-CA), said, in brief remarks after the meeting. She said the delegation also came “to convey to our troops the appreciation of the American people for what they’re doing, to applaud their patriotism.”

I’d love to hear Ms. Pelosi explain how she and Murtha can demoralize the troops and embolden the terrorists in one breath then say that they want to “convey to our troops the appreciation of the American people” and “applaud their patriotism” with their next breath. She must know that they’re undercutting the troops’ mission and that that can’t have a positive effect on the troops.

It’s downright infuriating to hear Pelosi’s and Murtha’s mantra of “We support the troops but not the mission.” It isn’t just Pelosi’s and Murtha’s mantra, either. It’s the Democrats’ mantra, too. Frankly, it’s insulting, especially in light of Sen. Feingold’s announcement that he’s scheduled a hearing on whether Congress “has the authority to cut off funding for the U.S. military campaign in Iraq.”

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

I dare any democrat (or RINO, for that matter) to vote against that resolution.

***UPDATE***

Mark Finkelstein has an important update about Pelosi and Murtha's subversive "fact finding" mission.

The long and the short of it is, they're not interested in "finding facts." They're seizing the opportunity as a photo and propaganda op, and an attempt to gain some faux cred in their scorched-earth quest to politically defeat George Bush, even if it means the very defeat of America in the process.